Expanded 40-Man Roster Question

[Mike107]

Hi Everyone,

Just a quick question re: the September expanded 40-man rosters. If I should bring up a player to the expanded roster, and he has not yet appeared on the ML for the current season, does this call-up count as an option year used? My understanding is that this would -not- count as an option used, but I just want to be certain.

Thanks,
Mike

[Dan Theman]

OOTP rules regarding to options, waivers, and expanded rosters are a little different from the official major league rules (simplified for ease of use and fun-factor considerations), so you may have to wait until the game manual is published to get the authoritative answer (it's still being worked on, and it will come out when it's been tested and ready ... and when the decisions on what's going to be in the game have been finalized and perfected).

[Mike107]

Hi Dan,

Ok, so going on the premise that we're not certain, and there could be a slight risk by using up 1 of the 3 allowable options, does there appear to be any noticeable benefit to bringing up players to the expanded 40-man roster? Do these guys develop faster? Would a poor showing during the call-up hurt their development? If there isn't any benefit that we know of, I might just as well play out the season with my current 25-man group of guys.

Thanks,
MIke

[sporr]

Please don't take this as an authoritative answer, but I think I have seen some people say that September callups do NOT burn an option year. I know they don't in the MLB.

[wish7694]

September callups do not burn up an option year as long as you do not send the player back to the minors until the following season. There are no "special rules" for September callups.

Here are some examples.

Player is on 40 man roster since start of season and is placed on active roster for first time in September. This player already used an ption year when placed on 40 man roster but left in minors. Bringing him up in September has no effect because the option year has already been used.

Player is added to 40 man roster and active roster for first time in September. Player is not placed back into the minors until the following spring. No option year is used until a player on the 40 man roster is placed in the minors. Therefore since the player is not placed in the minors until the following year no option year is used up the previous September.

When people mention that call ups in September are not counted, they are referring to the fact that it is not counted as a full year. In OOTP 5 it did not matter when or for how long a player was called up, he was granted a full year of service time. In OOTP6 the game mirrors real life in that service time is based on actual days in the majors. So it doesn't matter whether a player spends 30 days up in April or 30 days up in September, it counts for only 30 days towards his service time.

Arbitration and Free Agency are based on days of service. To be elegible for arbitration a player must have been on the active roster for three years (3 x 172 days). Some players can take six game years to get to three years of service time depending on how often they are called up or down. Same applies for free agency except to be eligible a player must be on a roster for six years (6 x 172 days).

Sorry for the length but I hope this helps explain the situations.

[Dan Theman]

Originally Posted by Mike107

Hi Dan,

Ok, so going on the premise that we're not certain, and there could be a slight risk by using up 1 of the 3 allowable options, does there appear to be any noticeable benefit to bringing up players to the expanded 40-man roster? Do these guys develop faster? Would a poor showing during the call-up hurt their development? If there isn't any benefit that we know of, I might just as well play out the season with my current 25-man group of guys.

Thanks,
MIke

There have been many posts about OOTPD not giving away the proprietary engine components to the game, and therefore they're loathe to answer any direct questions like that. We're left to our own devices and experiences. For my own style, if a player has nothing left to prove at AAA and I wouldn't mind giving him some playing time in the Majors, then I'd bring him up. I figure that so long as he isn't overmatched, then it would be a good learning experience for both him and myself - he'll have new challenges and I can take a real peek at what kind of player this fellow actually is.

The other side of this is that I often pick up a few patchwork players from the scrap heap throughout the system just in case I get an injury and I don't want to rush a prospect to fill his place (I do this proactively so that I can get the best choices). When September comes, I'll bring those guys up if I haven't used them yet in order to 1) free up more playing time in the minors for borderline prospects and 2) for spelling tired players and (hopefully) readying my pitching staff for the playoffs.

- Dan

[Mike107]

Hi Everyone!

Great discussion, and lots of good info shared. Much appreciated!


Thanks!
Mike